3D model of the Phoenix and the RAM guts.

[Luis H]

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving day… I spent part of the day doing some homework for a class that I am taking.

I decided to model the Phoenix and all the RAM guts in 3D. At home I have a copy of AutoCAD 2004 and a student copy of AutoCAD 2010. So, I decided to AutoCAD 2004. Not because of the challenge, but because the student copy puts tags on the model that can not be removed.

Anyway, these are just parts that will come in handy on some of the other projects I am working on. I will be modeling more parts soon.

Now I am supposed to animate this (in 3D Max)… like show it as it assembles and then even how it operates. I don’t know about this animation thing.

This is not vintage diving, but at least it is related to vintage diving equipment. As it has been mentioned in many other threads, the guts ot the RAM are shared with the Conshelf, the Titan, and many other Aqua Lung regulators.

 

[HenrikBP]

That's very cool Luis. Thanks!

Any chance you could post those image files in slightly higher resolution? I'm putting together all the info I can find on the Phoenix in a "manual" and full size prints of these exploded diagrams would be great.

The animation sounds fun - to me at least I don't know AutoCad, but I've found when I work with animation, that being very methodical with the timing of movement makes it easier for me. Try a few small segment of animation and figure out how long certain motion should take to look "natural" and then stick with those durations throughout. Would be fun to see the final product (animation that is).

Thanks,

Henrik

 

[Luis H]

Thanks

If you send me your email I can forward you some full size files, in either PDF or JPG.

I have been using AutoCAD for about 15 years, but I am totally new at this 3D Max animation stuff. To me it seems like the hardest thing is going to be to model the spring and snap ring compressing during the motion.

Actually the hardest thing is that I haven’t been able to get the 3D Max installed in my home computer. Going to the college to work in those computers is kind of a pain.


I am kind of in the process of modeling a complete regulator. Animating it to show a full breathing cycle would be kind of neat.

 

[HenrikBP]

To me it seems like the hardest thing is going to be to model the spring and snap ring compressing during the motion.

Yes, your situation is more complicated than what I deal with. I have others do the hard work of modeling and I just make simple things move

Is there a way to program material properties into each part? If so it might be possible to make all parts of the spring move/deform with changes in the position of either end?

Henrik

 

[Luis H]

You can add materials in 3D Max, but the program is not a structural analysis software so the springs do not behave based on loads or stress. The materials are more for a surface texture and visual appearance. I can even add the reflective surface of chrome, but that adds a huge load to the processing.

3D Max has spring modeling element, but the user has to provide all the motion parameters. The program is supposed to compress them, but some of those functions are sometimes very cumbersome to use. The results are often not what one expects.

I am not sure how I am going to do it, but I suspect I am going to model the springs (and the snap ring) in at least one compressed state compressed state. Maybe more than one if I decide to model the functioning first stage.

 

[Nemrod]

My poor TurboCad will never keep up. I would buy AutoCad but it is awfully expensive (and I can barely do anything with TurboCad as it is, lol). Excellent work, that will be great to see it all work. N

 

[TN Traveler]

Luis

What you really need is to use Inventor (Autodesk's 3D modeling program) or SolidWorks for doing this type of modeling. These programs produce true 3D models, where you can rotate and move things around in "real" space. They also do animations, shadings, etc. Then they spit them out as standard 2D AutoCad drawings for the machinists, assemblers, fabricators and construction crews to use for building things.

I can't use them, but my wife runs a CAD Design firm and that is all they use anymore.

I'm old enough to remember when they used to build detailed 3D models of whole plants to scale and then the designers would come in and measure everything and produce drawings for use in fabrication - a lost art in today's computer-centric society. But I'm not sure they were any better and they sure took a lot longer.

 

[Luis H]

I have SolidWorks and have been learning it on my own. It is a much more powerful software and it is parametric (the model can be controlled with parameters).

AutoCAD will do true 3D drawings in real space and I can rotate and view the model from any angle. I can also dissect sections (which I will), but it is a lot more cumbersome than SolidWorks for many of the functions.

AutoCAD 3D will also convert a 3D solid model into 2D drawings, but again it is not as powerful as SolidWorks.

The big difference is that I have been using AutoCAD for about 15 years and SolidWorks for about 6 months (and only occasionally at that).


I went to engineering college in Memphis, TN. At the time I had some interviews with TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), I think it was in Knoxville. Part of the interview they gave us a tour of their modeling department. It took a complete floor (maybe more) of a large building were that had scale models of complete power plants.

These models were like maybe 10 feet by 10 feet (maybe larger) and they were in sections. The tables were on casters to be able to roll the sections apart and reach the insides of the models. It was very impressive the level of detail they put into the models. It was a dream place to work for someone that likes models, like the Lionel train collectors. I am afraid that type of modeling has become a lost art.


Thanks

 

[TN Traveler]

I know that AutoCad 3D can do the job - but Inventor and SolidWorks do it so much easier and better (once you learn the software). It has been interesting over the past few years to watch the Designers go from AutoCad to the latest 3D modeling software.

My wife started "on the board" using velum and ink and then to AutoCad and now she works in both Inventor and SolidWorks. The amazing thing is to watch the "kids" working in 3D - they can fly and do amazing things with the software/models (but still need a reality check from us old gray heads )

You are right - the art of building scale models is lost, forever. I've seen some of the TVA models and they compare favorably with those from the chemical industry from 40 years ago. They truly are works of art. TVA is spending all sorts of $$$$$ getting the old paper drawings put into CAD (mostly over in India) before they are lost. We have done some work doing "as builts" for areas that they lost the paper drawings - we suggested that it might be more efficient to do them from the models (where they still have them) and then confirm them with a brief field visit - something they are considering. I figure with TVA's cost cutting, the models will be doomed.

I still think you should try doing your models in SolidWorks - then you can easily animate them.

 

[HenrikBP]

You can add materials in 3D Max, but the program is not a structural analysis software so the springs do not behave based on loads or stress.

Don't know if it would work for you, but might it be possible to model the spring in relaxed state as well as in compressed state and then have the software do some sort of "tweening" between the two?

Henrik